U.S. Coast Guard Day honors the United States Coast Guard, the military branch whose primary responsibility is national defense, or protecting and maintaining the security of U.S. waters and shorelines. However, the U.S. Coast Guard also enforces Federal laws at sea and on coastal and inland waters; protects the marine environment and U.S. coastlines and ports; saves life at sea; and operates the U.S.’s lighthouses.

We honor all those who have served in the U.S. Coast Guard, past and present, on August 4 to commemorate the creation and establishment of the U.S. Coast Guard on August 4, 1790.

Many people celebrate U.S. Coast Guard Day by attending Grand Haven, Michigan’s Coast Guard Festival, which honors the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard through events and activities such as carnival rides, picnics, parades and ship tours.

Did You Know…that the U.S. Coast Guard was initially called the Revenue Cutter Service? The term “Coast Guard” was not used until 1915, when the Revenue Cutter Service merged with the Life-Saving Service. Learn more about the history of the U.S. Coast Guard by clicking here.

The highest military award, the Medal of Honor, was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on July 12, 1862. This medal is awarded for acts of valor in combat above and beyond the call of duty.

The Medal of Honor, sometimes referred to as the Congressional Medal of Honor, can be received by members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. Since its introduction in 1862, one woman and upwards of 3400 men have been awarded the Medal of Honor.